by Kaki Warner
And when Raney wasn’t dealing with all the changes a baby brought, catering to Joss’s every whim, managing the ranch, keeping up with the AI program and Rosco’s training, or meeting with the moneymen, she struggled to plan Rough Creek’s most anticipated December wedding. Luckily, Mama was a huge help, as was Len once she returned from Hawaii, tanned, reenergized, and back to her vibrant self. Raney hoped it was a lasting improvement, but Len and Ryan had had ups and downs before, so who knew. Len and Mama even got the wedding and reception moved to a church that could accommodate the 150 guests.
Being master planners, the dynamic mother-daughter duo quickly took over—as Raney had hoped they would—thereby allowing her to gracefully back away until the final planning stage after Thanksgiving.
She hardly ever saw Dalton alone. He had moved back into the workers’ dorm as soon as they had returned after Lyric’s birth, and since then, they had both been too busy to spend much time together. It seemed every time she tried to talk to him, there were a dozen people hovering around. Even at the barn.
It was driving her crazy.
By mid-October, the pre-works began at the top cutting horse ranches in the area. They were important for Rosco because they were intense two-day workouts with fresh cattle and would put the final touches on his months of training. Raney would be able to attend only one of the four she’d scheduled, since she couldn’t escape the madhouse very often.
Which was also driving her crazy.
Other than the nightly meal—now back in the dining room with Mama’s return and since the veranda was crowded with baby paraphernalia—she hardly saw Dalton except when she was able to sneak off to the barn or ride out with him when he took Rosco into the pasture. A few stolen kisses. A touch here or there. That was it. And the less she saw of him, the more she thought of him.
At odd times, she would laugh about something amusing and think, Dalton would get a kick out of that. Or, she would be wrestling with a problem and wonder what Dalton would advise. Or, she’d remember something goofy he’d said and catch herself smiling. And often—too often—memories of the things he’d done with those magical hands would send heat pulsing through her body.
But nights were the worst. Dreams of him would have her tangling in the sheets until she awoke, heart thudding, breathing his name into the still, night air.
And always, night or day, a voice in her head would ask her what she was going to do. About him. Them. This obsession that was consuming her mind.
But now, with Rosco’s final pre-work fast approaching, that was about to change. She had a plan. It was decision time. The point of no return. She couldn’t continue in this emotional limbo any longer.
Since the pre-works were multiday events, Dalton usually took the big fifth-wheel horse trailer, which, in addition to stalls for Rosco and Big Mike, also contained a tack room, sleeping quarters, a kitchen, a sitting area, and a bathroom with a shower and toilet. Perfect for him and Alejandro and Uno. But this time, she would be going, too, and had already booked rooms for her and Dalton at a nearby lodge where most of the other owners and trainers would be staying.
The scene was set. The seduction of Dalton Cardwell could begin.
She didn’t anticipate it would be a long or difficult task.
“Go,” Mama said to her the morning they were to leave. “Have some fun. You’ve been working too hard. Dalton, too.”
“This is work, too,” Raney pointed out. “At least for him.”
“I’m not talking about the horse part of it. I’m talking about socializing. Making time for yourselves. Taking a chance.”
“On what?”
“Yourself. Him.”
“Back to that again, are we?”
“I’m only thinking of you, dear. You’re almost thirty. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life alone, do you?”
Raney let out a deep sigh. “Why do you keep trying to foist me on him?”
Mama threw her hands up in exasperation. “I’m trying to get you to foist yourself on him. He’s perfect for you, Raney. Surely, you can see that. But you can’t expect him to wait on you forever.”
Raney couldn’t believe they were having this ridiculous conversation. “What are you trying to say, Mama?”
Her mother put on a long-suffering smile—one of her specialties—and cupped Raney’s cheek. “Just be happy, dear. That’s all I ask. Stop worrying and be happy. Now go.”
Dalton would get a kick out of that conversation, too.
* * *
* * *
Dalton was loading tack into the big horse trailer when Raney walked up with a small suitcase in her hand. “Going somewhere?” he asked.
“To the pre-work. Is that okay?”
“Sure. You’re the boss. I’ll tell Alejandro and Uno to bring sleeping bags.”
“They don’t need to. Unless they won’t share the bed in the trailer.”
“Not sure all four of us could fit.”
“That’s what I thought. So, you and I will be staying at the Pair-O-Dice Lodge with the other owners and trainers.”
“Ah,” he said, hope soaring. “One room?”
“Of course not. It would be way too crowded if all the trainers and owners stayed in the same room.”
“I meant one room for you and me.” She was such a tease.
“I booked two.”
Hope nose-dived into the dirt. “Oh.”
“But we’ll only use one,” she added. “The other is just to protect our reputations. I know what a stickler you are for appearances.”
And hope shot up again. He could tell by her smirk she knew exactly the roller-coaster ride she had him on. “You’re just being mean,” he accused.
“You have no idea. You like whips?”
He laughed out loud, exhilaration and anticipation thrumming through his body. “Depends on how you use them.” He looked past her to see Alejandro and Uno leading the horses toward the loading ramp. “We’ll talk more about that later.”
* * *
* * *
After an easy three-hour drive, Dalton turned under an elaborate, black ironwork arch bearing the sign RENFREW TOP SIX RANCH, one of the finest of Parker County. The Renfrews had been longtime friends of Raney’s parents and were highly respected in the horse business. Good people to know. If things went well, Bud Renfrew could be a powerful advocate for Dalton.
When they passed the corrals, she saw Press Amala leaning against the rails, talking to several trainers she had seen at local shows, and a few other men she suspected were owners of other horses here for the pre-work. Press nodded as they drove by. The other men turned to watch, gazes flicking from the Whitcomb Four Star Ranch logos on the sides of the truck and trailer to the buckskin face looking out the stall window.
Dalton smiled and gave a two-fingered wave as they drove on toward the big-rig parking area behind the arena. “See that?” he said to Alejandro, who was sitting with Uno in the backseat. “Lined up like groupies at the stage door, waiting for the star of the show.”
“Kind of cocky, aren’t you?” Raney teased.
He feigned innocence. “I was talking about Rosco, not me.”
“Una y las mismas,” Alejandro said. One and the same. “Both horse’s asses.”
“Now, boys, play nice,” Raney scolded, trying not to smile. Apparently, exchanging verbal insults was the way guys showed affection for each other. Not something she and her sisters did. Women were more into quick jabs of sarcasm, nonverbal smirks, and eye rolls. She was glad Uno didn’t take any of it seriously.
Bud Renfrew was in the lot, welcoming newcomers. After directing Dalton to a parking spot, he walked over to meet Raney as she climbed out of the truck. “Welcome to Top Six,” he said, extending his hand. “Glad you could make it.”
Raney shook his hand. “Glad to be here, Mr. Renfrew.
Thanks for asking us.”
“You know better than that, Raney. Call me Bud.” He chuckled, adding, “And your mama said I’d better include you. She’s got high hopes for your trainer and the colt he’s been working. Amala, too. Said the two of them were a force to reckon with.”
“Let’s hope.” Raney turned, saw Dalton, Alejandro, and Uno walking up and introduced them to Bud. They chatted for a moment, then at Dalton’s nod, Alejandro and Uno went to the back of the trailer to drop the ramp.
Bud watched them unload the horses, motioning to the big barn beside the arena. “You’ll find open stalls in the barn,” he told them. “Take your pick.”
He studied Rosco with a practiced eye as Alejandro led him away. “Nice colt.”
“He does all right,” Dalton allowed.
Masters at understatement. No smack talk in these elevated circles.
“Well.” Bud hitched his sagging jeans and turned back to Raney. “Y’all settle in, then come on up to the house. Marilyn’s got drinks and itty-bitty snacks set up on the back porch. You staying in the trailer or up at the lodge?”
“The lodge,” Raney answered. “I’ve already booked our rooms.”
“Good girl. I told Cattleman’s Steak House to expect a crowd for dinner. Best go early to get a table. See you up at the house.” With a backward wave, he walked over to another rig just pulling in.
“Nice guy,” Dalton said, watching the bowlegged man walk away. He looked around at the arena, the outsized barn, the ironwork gates. “Nice place, too. I’m in high cotton for an ex-con.”
“But not for a premier cutting horse trainer,” Raney countered. “What say we get unloaded and go have us some itty-bitty snacks? I’m starved.”
Mama was right. The socializing was fun. And Dalton was surprisingly adept at it, considering his rocky return to the social scene at Harley’s Roadhouse. Maybe because, for these owners and trainers, this was more than simply mingling with friends. It was business. And a very competitive business, at that.
Dalton handled it with poise, projecting confidence as well as modesty, all with that disarming grin that brought ladies, young and old alike, flocking to his side.
As soon as he finished his dinner at the steak house, Dalton went to check on the horses, and Alejandro and his son. Raney stayed awhile longer—just for appearances. In actuality, she was chomping at the bit to get back to her room at the Pair-O-Dice Lodge. She had plans. And a seduction to perform.
She needn’t have been so anxious. Seducing Dalton was even easier than she had imagined. All she had to do was take off her clothes and get into the shower. Ten minutes later, he arrived, using the extra key she’d given him, and took it from there.
She’d never enjoyed a shower more. But after thirty minutes, fearing if they stayed in too long they would empty the lodge of hot water, they dried off—which was also a lot of fun.
Then between one heartbeat and the next, the mood changed from playful to solemn. Still wet from the shower and wearing nothing but their damp towels, Dalton reached out and framed her face with his big, rough hands. “Raney,” he said. “Sweetheart. What are we doing here?”
A dozen snappy answers rattled through her brain. But none left her mouth.
When she didn’t answer, he said, “I swore to myself I wouldn’t do this until the Futurity, or until you said you were ready.”
“And I swore to myself I wouldn’t let you until the Futurity or until I was sure I was ready.” Raney hated feeling so out of her depth. This was Dalton. They’d seen each other naked. So why was she feeling so awkward?
“Yet here we are,” he said, his thumbs gently brushing over her cheekbones. “And the Futurity is still almost two weeks away. What do you want me to do?”
All her fine words and grand plans crumbled at her feet. Doubts rushed in. She was a crappy seductress. “What do you want to do?”
“You planned this party,” he reminded her. “You must have given some thought to how you wanted it to go.”
She tried for a teasing smile, but the muscles in her face wouldn’t behave. “This is as far as I got. I figured the rest would take care of itself. Any ideas?”
“A few.” His beautiful green eyes seemed to darken with intent. “What I want to do is lay you down and run my hands over your beautiful body. I want to sweep away all the hurt and doubt in your mind. And I want to hold you and love you and make you want me as much as I want you.” He smiled, slow and sweet, his gaze traveling over her face, coming to rest on her mouth. “But mostly, I want to hear you say the words you’ve been afraid to say. How about we start with that?”
“We could. But . . .”
A hurt look crossed his face. He took his hands from her face. “But what?”
And suddenly, all her confidence returned. She felt beautiful and daring and very much the tease he accused her of being. “I’d rather start here.” She unwound her towel and let it drop to her feet. While he was distracted, she pulled his towel loose from around his hips, then took him in her hand. “And with this,” she said, stroking gently. “Later, while you rest up, we can talk. It’s going to be a long night, I fear.”
He didn’t argue.
And it was very much a long and incredible night. Until five o’clock the next morning, when the alarm on Dalton’s phone went off.
“What the hell?” Raney muttered, bolting upright, thinking it was time for another baby feeding and wondering why it was so cold.
“Rise and shine, sweetheart,” a gravelly voice said.
She looked over, saw Dalton sprawled on all of their pillows and under all of their covers, yawning and scratching his head. No wonder she was cold and had a neck ache. They had set the AC on the coldest setting in the middle of the night because they’d gotten sweaty from their exertions and now the room was freezing. With a shiver, she flopped back down beside him and started grabbing blankets. “Why are you up so early?”
He grinned. Something moved under the covers and he did that waggly thing with his eyebrows. Apparently, he thought it was sexy at five in the morning. “I’m up like this every morning. Want to see?”
How could the man joke at this ungodly hour? “Just give me a blanket and go back to sleep,” she muttered, snuggling against his side, locking him close with an arm across his chest and her cheek on his chest. The smell of him, his warmth, the strength of the big body against hers gave her a sense of wholeness and comfort and safety she had never felt before. This was where she belonged. Smiling, she burrowed closer and closed her eyes. But couldn’t sleep now that her body was fully awake. “I suppose you want to fool around,” she said hopefully.
“Course I do. But I can’t.” His voice rumbled through his chest to vibrate in her ear. “I’m meeting some of the other trainers for breakfast. The lodge better serve regular-sized food, and not that itty-bitty stuff Mrs. Renfrew set out.”
Raney yawned. “I’m not going.”
“You weren’t invited.” She felt him kiss the top of her head. “But you could give me a proper send-off, if you wanted.”
“Can’t. I have a headache. Someone stole my pillow.” She gave a long, contented sigh. “I just want to snuggle a while longer. These last weeks, I’ve missed you so much. It felt like my day wasn’t compete without a smile or a kiss from you.”
“I felt the same. A hundred and twenty-eight.”
She tilted her head back and looked at him.
“Days since I told you I loved you.”
“At the Roadhouse? If I remember correctly, you only thought you loved me.”
“Fifty-one, then. That’s when I promised I did. As I recall, you still weren’t ready to hear it.” He watched her. Still waiting. Even after all this time.
“Oh, Dalton.” Ashamed that she had been so fearful, she scooched up his chest and put her hand along his jaw. His whiskers felt like sandpaper a
gainst her palm. “You dear, sweet, patient man.” Leaning closer, she pressed her lips to his. Not in a teasing kiss like those in the shower the previous night. Or openmouthed and demanding like the ones that had come later.
A solemn kiss. Gentle. So full of emotion her heart felt too small to hold it all. Then she drew back so she could look into his beautiful green eyes through the tears forming in her own. “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to say it, dear heart. I wanted to be sure. No doubts or hesitation. And I am.” She let out a deep breath and gave him a wobbly smile. “I love you, Dalton Cardwell. I love your honesty. Your strength of character. Your kindness. And especially your patience while I fought my way to this moment.”
“Not my brains?” The man couldn’t help himself. Even now, he had to made a joke.
She laughed, adoring his goofy, irreverent, wry sense of humor, loving that he found joy in everything and didn’t take himself or her foolishness too seriously. “Of course, your brains, too. And your incredible green eyes.”
“What about my muscles? Your sisters seemed to like my big muscles.”
“Well, naturally, I admire your big muscles. Almost as much as your modesty.” She tipped her head to the side and pretended to give it some thought. “But there’s one muscle I’m not quite sure about.”
He lifted the covers. “This one?”
She peeked. “I think so. Although it seemed bigger last night. Maybe I should try it out again, just to be certain.”
He chuckled softly and swooped in for a quick kiss. “As you can probably tell, I’m up for that. The guys can wait another five minutes.”
“Five? You’re spoiling me.”
“Okay. Six. But only if we start now.”
* * *
* * *
Since the horses at the pre-works were all three-year-olds that weren’t allowed to compete until the Futurity, there were no judges or points given at the Renfrew Top Six Ranch workout. But if there had been, the consensus was that Rosco would have won. Or so Press Amala told Raney the following afternoon when they were loading up to go home to the ranch.
